Pattern copying machine



April 23, 1935.-

F L. FOSTER ET AL PATTERN COPYING MACHINE Filed Oct. 2, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 23, 1935.

F. FOSTER ET AL 1,998,499

PATTERN COPYING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 2, 1931 WVE/V 717/?5 @22 bf M aag Patented Apr. 23, 1935 UNITED STATES.

7 1,998,499 PATTERN COPYING MACHINE Fred L. Foster and Herbert A. Colby, Lynn, Mass.,

assignors to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Paterson, N. J., a corporation oi New Jersey Application October 2, 1931, Serial No. 566,504 7 Claims. (01. 3 -23) This invention relates to pattern reproducing machines, that is, machines for reproducing a model in a work piece, and is illustrated herein as embodied in a pattern grading machine of the 5 two-dimensional kind for producing shoe upper patterns from a model.

Machines of the type shown comprise four primary instrumentalities, namely, a model holder, a work holder, amodel guide or follower, and a cutting tool, interconnected by two pantographic mechanisms operating to magnify or reduce the length and width of the model relatively to length and width grading axes independently, in the work piece.

Pattern grading machines are used in the boot and shoe industry for reproducing from a flat model or template of apart of a boot or shoe upper, one or more patterns which are used subsequently in cutting out the part from leather or other suitable material. A pattern generated by such a machine will, in general, if it is not of the same size as the model, be a general pantographic enlargement or diminution of the model relatively to the grading axes, the magnification factors relatively to the two axes being independent.

It is sometimes desiredto grade a pattern from a model having an ornamental cut-out portion in such manner as to cause a chosen part of the corresponding cut-out portion on the work to grade into position, along acertain direction, relatively to an edge of the work but yet to grade the cut-out portion itself in such manner as to cause its dimension in the work along the said direction to be equal to that of the cut-out portion in the model along the corresponding direction. Such a method of grading part of the model at a 1:1 ratio, called center grading, often presents difficulties particularly when the model has a number of cut-out portions distributed over itsarea. Heretofore this problem has been dealthwith by locatingapoint of the patternatwhich it is desired the tool and work. This procedure has not been successful since there are often several points at. whichsuch a change, either to begin or to end the center grading, is desirable, and the changewill cause a jog in the work if made anywhere else than at the grading center.

The object of the present invention is to provide in a pattern grading machine improved means which are capable of dealing with difficulties of the kind aboveindicated.

Accordingly, the invention provides novel means whereby, at any time during a grading operation, the pantograph mechanism of the machine maybe quickly and easily rendered inoperative so far as grading effect is concerned without causing relative movement to take place between any of the primary, instrumentalities due to the said adjustment of the pantograph mechanism. The machine will then grade at a 1:1 ratio irrespective of the actual settings of the grading mechanism. A change back to the nor mal grade'is effected with similar case and advantage.

These and other features of the invention comprising certain combinations and arrangements of parts will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view; and

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are details of the center grading mechanism.

The illustrated machine is, in its main structure, a Hartford pattern grader of ordinary, construction. The main frame or bed I0 is provided with smooth tracks or ways-upon which the carriage 12 slides freely toward and from the operator (or north and south) on wheels 14. The carriage l 2 is provided with tracks I6, I ,1 on which the model wheel carriage I8, and a similar carriage 20, slide freely east and. west on wheels '22, 24 respectively. 'The carriage 20 is provided with a track on which the tool carriage 26 slides north and south on wheels one of which is shown at 28. The modelwheel is indicated at 30, and the tool at 32. I

The carriages I8 and'20 are; connected by the length grading mechanism comprising an arcuate length grading lever 34 having a straight exten sion 35 withone end pivoted at 36 to a link 38 which is pivoted to the carriage I2. This lever is pivoted at 42. on the carriage l8, and a link 44, adjustable along the are 34 and pivoted thereto at its point of adjustment 46, is pivoted to the carriage 20 at 48. With the parts as shown in Fig. 1 an east or west movement of the carriage l 8 and model wheel 30 will cause a smaller but proportional movement of the carriages 20 and 26 and tool 32. The effect of the link 38 is substantially that of a north and south slide to permit the lever 34,35,to swing. Such a slide is found on some machines of this type. i The "width "grading mechanism connects the carriages 20 and 26 and effects proportional north and south movements of the tool 32 and model wheel 30. It comprises the arcuate width grading lever 50 having a straight extention 5| with its end pivoted at 52 in an overhanging east and west slideway 54 mounted on an arm 56 on the frame ill. It is pivoted at 60 on the carriage 20, is joined to the lever by a link 62 at an adjustable pivot 54, and is connected to the carriage 26, at the pivot 65. With the parts as shown in Fig. 1, a north movement of the model wheel 30 will cause a greater, but proportional, north movement of the cutter 32.

The model table is indicated at 61, and the work table at E8.

Each of the grading levers is'provided with a mechanism known as a shift. This consists essentially of a pivot between the straight and arcuate parts of the levers, at 10, 12, respectively, with clamps to render the levers normally rigid. These constructions are alike on both levers, and are shown in detail in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. The pivot is formed as a stud having a flange I3 underlying the member 35, the stud extending up through the members 34 and 35. A screw thread at its top is engaged by a handled nut 14 to clamp the parts 34 and 35-firmly together. The are 34 is provided with an arm 16. with a pointer 18 cooperating with a segment mounted on the member 35. The segment 80. has a series of holes 82 engageable by a sliding pin 84 in the arm 16. This pin is pressed up into a hole 82 by a spring 85 and is pulled down out of the hole by a lever 88. Thus, when the nut T4 is loosened, the pin 84 can be used to set the members 3 and 35 at. a different angle to each other and then the. nut H is tightened again. The purpose of this mechanism, which is well known, is. to avoid, for example, grading the top of a high shoe. When such a shoe is regularly width graded, the top line of the leg portion comes too high to look well, and the shift at 12 is used to throw the tool north or south, discontinuously, to lower the top line and cut off the unwanted portion by the east or west movement along the top.

The radii of the arcs 34 and 50 are equal to the lengths of the links .44 and 62 respectively. 0bviously, when the parts are in such a position that the are 34 lies symmetrically-relatively to the line 42, 48, the'length grader setting can be changed without causing any movement of other parts The north and south line on the model holder 61- which registers with the model wheel 30 at such time is called the length grading axis, and an east and west line corresponding to a similarposition of the width grading lever 50, 5| is. known as the width grading axis. Their intersection is the grading center, above mentioned.

All of the structure above described is well known.

The new structure cooperating with parts already described to effect the objects of the invention will now be described.

The stud .70. is tapped at its lower end to receive a stud having a flat head 92. This stud passes through a slot 94 in a link 96, pivoted at 98 to the carriage 20. The head 92 is clamped against the link, thus. holding it firmly to the stud by a handle I08 having an adjustable engagement with it, as shown in Fig. 4, so that the requisite range of movement of the handle can be secured without interference with other parts. (The same object accomplished in the case ofthe nut 14 by the set screw I02 in the arc 34, which permits rotary adjustment of the flange 13.)

Suppose now that a point has been reached on the model periphery at which it is desired to change the length grade from that shown in Fig. 1 to a 1:1 ratio. The operator will loosen the nut 14, tighten the stud 90 (thereby clamping the link 96 rigidly to the flange 13 on the pivot 10, and hence to the lever 34) pull down the pin 84, and shove in a little slide I03 (Fig. 3) which passes over the top of the pin 84 and prevents its rising. Then the carriage 20, link 96, are 34, and link 44 form a rigid quadrilateral, and the two carriages l8 and, 20 must move at a 1:1 velocity ratio, thus accomplishing the 1:1 length grading, or center grading in length, as desired. This causes no disturbance of the machine, or jog in the work, and a reversal of the setting procedure described above will set the machine back into the length grade for which it was set without disturbance. During the center grading the parts 34 and 35 will swing relatively to each other about the pivot 10, which thus provides a. lost motion device preventing locking or cramping.

A similar construction, including a link I04, pivoted to the carriage 20 at I06, is provided in connection with the width grading lever 5? 51. The clamping of the link IM to the lever 50 looks the lever 50 to the carriage 20, thus holding the tool carriage 26 relatively motionless thereon.

Thus center grading in both length and width, independently, at any: desired pointv in the production of a work piece, is secured, without disturbance of the machine at the points of transition from one grade to the other.

A handle I98 is provided at the end of the lever 34 nearest the operator, and is used to control the movement of the model wheel around the model in the heavier machines oi the type shown. The connection of the link'96 at the point 10 of the lever 34 renders it possible to use this handle efficiently without any lost motion, or cramping, which might result if, for example, the link were connected straight across between the carriages i8, 20, or straight across between the carriage 20 and the pivot 42, in case the pivotlfi happened to be near the pivot 42.

Having described our invention, what We claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

V 1. In a pattern reproducing machine, four primary instrumentalities, namely, a model holder, a work holder, a. model guide and a tool, grading mechanism interconnecting them for eflecting relative movements between the work holder and tool to reproduce a model in a work piece, an element operatively connected with one 01' said primary instrumentalities. in such manner as to have the same movement, perpendicular to the width grading axis, as said primary instrumentality and movable relatively to another of the said primary instrumentalities in the width grading direction during the action of the width grading mechanism, means comprising a clamp i'or positively holding said element and said last-named primary instrumentality against relative movement in the width grading direction, at the will of the operator at any time during the production or a work piece, and a lost motion means in said grading mechanism acting to prevent cramping when said element and said primary instrumentality are so held.

2. In a pattern reproducing machine, four primary instrumentalities, namely, a model holder, a work holder, a model guide and a tool, connections between them comprising agrading mechanism for effecting relative movements between the work holder and tool to reproduce a model pantographically in a work piece, said connections including a member which is operatively connected to one primary instrumentality in such manner as to have the same movement, perpendicular to a grading axis, as said primary instrumentality and moves relatively to a certain other primary instrumentality during the grading action, a holding means arranged to hold said element and said certain other primary instrumentality positively against relative movement, when it is desired to center grade, and a lost motion device arranged to absorb the normal grading movement of the machine to prevent cramping, when center grading is being done.

3. In a pattern reproducing machine, four primary instrumentalities, namely, a model holder, a work holder, a model guide and a tool, grading mechanism interconnecting them for effecting relative movements between the work holder and tool to reproduce a model in a work piece, said grading mechanism comprising a lever operatively located between two of said primary instrumentalities to transmit movement from one to the other, means operative to hold said lever immovable relatively to one of said two primary instrumentalitiesin order to efiect center grading, and a lost motion device operable when the lever is so held, to prevent cramping.

4. In a pattern reproducing machine, four primary instrumentalities, namely, a model holder, a work holder, a model guide and a tool, grading mechanism interconnecting them for eifecting relative movements between the work holder and tool to reproduce a model in a work piece, said grading mechanism comprising a lever operatively located between two of said primary instrumentalities to transmit movement from one to the other, means operative to hold said lever immovable relatively to one of said two primary instrumentalities in order to effect center grading, and a normally rigid pivoted joint in the lever operable to prevent cramping when the lever is so held.

5. In a pattern reproducing machine, four primary instrumentalities, namely, a model holder, a work holder, a model guide and a tool, grading mechanism interconnecting them for efiecting relative movements between the work holder and tool to reproduce a. model in a work piece, said grading mechanism comprising a lever and a link operatively located between two of said primary instrumentalities to transmit movement from one to the other, a second link operatively located between said lever and one of said two primary instrumentalities, means for clamping said last-named link to said lever, when center grading is'desired, and a lost motion device operable to prevent cramping when said last-named link is clamped to said lever.

6. In a pattern reproducing machine, four primary instrumentalities, namely, a model holder, a work holder, a model guide and a tool, grading mechanism interconnecting them for effecting relative movements between the work holder and tool to reproduce a model in a work piece, said grading mechanism comprising a lever and a link operatively located between two of said primary instrumentalities to transmit movement from one to the other, a second link operatively located between said lever and one of said two primary instrumentalities, means for clamping said lastnamed link to said lever, when center grading is desired, and a normally rigid pivoted joint in said lever to be loosened when center grading is desired, said second-named link being connected with said lever at said joint.

'7. In a pattern reproducing machine, four primary instrumentalities, namely, a model holder,

a work holder, 2. model guide and a tool, grading mechanism interconnecting them for effecting relative movements between the work holder and tool to reproduce a. model in a work piece, said grading mechanism comprising a lever and a link operatively located between two of said primary instrumentalities to transmit movement from one 

